We were struck by Geneva's relaxed atmosphere, courtesy and good humour. With the biggest lake in the Alps (73 km/45 miles long, 14 km/8.5 miles wide and 310 m/1,017 ft deep), one tree per two inhabitants, and romantic countryside within easy reach, the city benefits from an exceptional environment and quality of life.

 

Compared with Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome, where prices have escalated in recent years, Geneva, renowned for being very expensive, is today much more affordable than you might think. Among the "Bib Hotels"* selected by the Michelin Guide, you are sure to find pleasant places to stay at very attractive prices (from 45 to 160 Swiss francs 20 to 70 pounds sterling or 30 to 106 euros per night!).

 

The Geneva Tourist Office also offers weekend packages, starting from 89 Swiss francs per person per night for a double room at a two-star hotel, including breakfast, with tour of the city and discount vouchers for a cruise or chocolates...

 

You can now also get very good value for money where gourmet restaurants are concerned. As for shopping, Geneva is not just a good place for watches, cigars, knives and chocolate; several ready-to-wear designers are really worth the trip.

If you want to visit the surrounding area, first head for the harbour, which you can easily spot from afar thanks to its fountain. Every day from 9.30am to 11.15pm it shoots up from the lake at a speed of 200 kph (124 mph), reaching a height of 140 m (459 ft). A real symbol of the city, this gigantic fountain is operated by pumps that draw water from the lake then discharge it at a rate of 500 litres per second. Watch out for spray when the wind blows!

 

At the Place du Rhône, you can borrow a bicycle for the day in exchange for a deposit of 50 Swiss francs (22 pounds sterling or 33 euros). Then just follow the cycle path that runs along the south shore of the lake to the village of Hermance, 14 km (8.5 miles) away. This small medieval town has everything going for it: a "Bib Gourmand"** rated bistro (Le Bistrot), a bright quayside and a splendid panorama of Geneva and the bluish crests of the Jura!

On the way back, make sure you take in the lush meadows of the Parc des Eaux-Vives and Parc La Grange (Quai Gustave Ador): these are the city's two oldest and most beautiful green spaces. Amid the ancient trees that dominate the lake, you will discover the Orangeraie summer theatre where Gérard Philippe and Rudolf Nureyev performed, and the Ella Fitzgerald stage.

Genevans also like to picnic on the lawns surrounding the rose garden in Parc La Grange. It was created in 1946 and is home to 12,000 rose bushes of 200 different varieties. Specialists can admire some famous creations such as the pink to white "Souvenir de la Malmaison" (Béluze, 1843), cream white "Jardins de Bagatelle" (A. Meilland, 1984), and velvet red "Ingrid Bergman" (Poulsen, 1984)... One of the finest collections in Europe!

You can take other routes out of the city by bicycle and into the undulating countryside. To the southwest, the Chemin du Vignoble (path through the vineyards) between the villages of Sézenove and Confignon offers a panoramic view of the basin of Geneva. The winegrowing village of Lully, 11 km (7 miles) from the city, is one of the prettiest in the region; here you can taste wines produced by Jacques Dupraz (Domaine Les Curiades) and Jacques and Kathy Meinen (Domaine de la Roselle).

The most exciting circuit takes you to Le Salève cable car, 7 km (4 miles) southeast of the city. A cable car leaves every 12 minutes (no charge for bicycles), taking passengers up to pastureland at an altitude of 1,380 m (4,528 ft), from where they can enjoy a breathtaking panorama.

 

Paragliding fans love this site, which has 3 different take-off points and allows them to launch themselves skywards at sunset. From here you can see Geneva's multitude of different districts: Carrouge, created in the 18th century by town planners from Piedmont; the international district with its Palais des Nations and Musée de la Croix-Rouge (Red Cross Museum); the old town with St Peter's cathedral and its picturesque medieval squares.

A cruise boat departs from the Quai des Moulins en l'Île twice a day (at 10am and 2.15pm), taking passengers down the Rhône as far as the Verbois dam (15 km/9 miles west of Geneva). This is a chance to explore the wild riverbanks, full of migratory birds, swans and foxes.

 

If you like walking, we recommend heading back to Geneva by foot (approx. 3 hours), following the signposted path along the bank. Beautiful meadows, bucolic villages, romantic residences and châteaux surrounded by vineyards...

 

On your way into the city you will see some of the Genevans' famous kitchen gardens before passing through the attractive Bois de la Bâtie. Since 1874, this wooded area at the meeting point of the Rhône and Arve rivers has contained a large pool, an island, and a sort of rustic zoo where goats, ibex, marmots, peacocks, turkeys and many other species of the region's wildlife live together.

 

The park has been extended on several occasions and now covers more than 20 hectares (over 49 acres).

It was in Geneva in the late 18th century that the famous quinine-flavoured sparkling drink was invented by pharmacist Schweppes, Rue de la Croix-d'Or! In the unusual Grottes district, behind Cornavin station, you will find some of the vivaciousness that the Genevans are wrongly thought to lack. In 1985, numerous young Genevans, infuriated by the housing shortage, decided to squat here in buildings destined for demolition, between Rue de la Gare and Rue de Montbrillant. Twenty years later this area, deemed disreputable by the municipality, has become an "institution" of alternative culture with, for example, the "Maison Verte" (Green House) where singers, poets and musicians mingle.

Les Schtroumpfs (the "Smurfs") buildings in Rue Louis-Favre look like they have stepped out of a comic strip, with their asymmetrical volumes, odd shapes and spiral staircases.

 

The district also has a refreshment area, artists' studios, theatres, a market and an organic restaurant (Lo'13'TO) renowned for its oriental products (dried lemons from Iran, red berries from Afghanistan).

Geneva is also an exciting city for young fashion designers. These designers from Switzerland, Italy and Russia have gradually freed themselves from the hegemony of Paris and Milan and invented a style of their own.

 

In the Pâquis district (Rue Sismondi), visit L'appart, the showroom of young Russian fashion designer Solo-Mâtines. Her famous disposable skirt that changes shape with body heat made her the talk of the town when it was created two years ago! All her clothes (intended for the general public) are original, both in cut and material: boiled mohair, microfibre with embroidered verses by Pushkin, hats with cats' ears, silicon trousers...

As for shoes, hats, bags and other accessories, Geneva is teeming with talented and inventive leather workers such as Aeschbach (Cours de Rive), Bartolini (Rue de la Terrassière), Bea Novelli (Rue des Chaudronniers) and Caroline Behrens (Rue du Rhône), whose ladies' shoes and bags are beautifully sculpted.

For men, Ugo Presentazi (Rue Winkelfried) makes ties by hand, incorporating twisted satin thread, leather motifs and borders of different silks...

If you fancy a drink in the evening, the famous Place du Molard (near the Île Rousseau and Pont du Mont-Blanc) is where you will find the city's most fashionable terraces. The local jet set come to flaunt themselves here. The pretty Place du Bourg-de-Four in old Geneva, with its bistros, flower-covered fountain and small public garden lined by nettle trees, is less snobbish and more friendly.

 

If you want to taste local wines by the glass in bistros run by wine buffs, we recommend a trip to the Marius Café (Place des Augustins) and Le Verre à Soif (Rue du Fort Barreau).

In summer, you can also enjoy free open-air film screenings and concerts in Geneva (at Parc La Grange and in the courtyard of the town hall). The Geneva Festival will take place from 4 to 14 August, with fireworks, world music concerts and the famous waiters' race (7 August).

If you have had enough of interminable disco nights, L'Usine is as its name suggests a former factory that has been converted into an alternative cultural centre: next to a bar (the Moloko) and a self-managed concert hall is a multiplex area, Le Zoo, demarcated by large black curtains, where underground rock music fans can dance to abrasive rhythms.

The Zanzibar-Liquid is another famous Genevan nightclub and specialises in groove nights. Facing the Rhône, it welcomes talented DJs and a friendly crowd with an original look.
 
*Practical and welcoming hotels at reasonable prices
**Restaurants offering good value for money

This so-called “English-style” stadium – with the stands close to the pitch – has 30,000 seats spread over four stands. It also has 24 ten-seat boxes, a giant screen, an internal television system with plasma screens in the passageways and WIFI access.

 

The Stade de Genève is not just a mere sports stadium: it is also the centre of a business complex where no fewer than 80 activities are represented (10 restaurants, a hotel, car park, shopping centre, bowling alley, fitness centre, crèche, etc). The stadium is directly linked to the businesses by a “connecting building”.

 

Located on the site of La Praille, near the French border, it was officially opened on 30th April 2003, a few months after the La Praille shopping and leisure centre. Lastly, it is a show venue that hosts numerous concerts. This multi-functionality became inevitable following the sporting, legal and financial problems of the resident club, Servette Genève.